Multiple sheet glazing units



March 3, 1959 w, s R 2,875,794

MULTIPLE SHEET GLAZING UNITS Filed May 10. 1956 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE YS' United States Patent MULTIPLE SHEET GLAZING UNITS William E. Schmertz, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Libbey- Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Application May 10, 1956, Serial No. 583,996

6 Claims. Cl. 141-346) This invention relates broadly to multiple sheet glazing units, and more particularly to a novel apparatus for dehydrating and testing such units. a

Multiple sheet glazing units may be described generally as comprising two or more sheets of glass which are sealed entirely around their edge portions in spaced relation to provide a hermetically sealed dead-air space therebetween. Due principally to their insulating and condensation preventing qualities, such units have become well established in the building trades and have found wide usage as windows for buildings, show cases, vehicles, refrigerators, and the like.

In the production ofsuch units it is customary to remove the humid or moisture-laden air from the space between the sheets and replace it with dry air or gas which acts as an insulating medium between the respective sheets of the unit. This process is generally carried out under sea level conditions and after the dry air or gas has replaced the moisture-laden air from the space between the respective sheets, the space is permanently, hermetically sealed to retain the dry insulating medium. However, when the glazing units of this type are used at high altitudes, the external pressure on the respective sheets is reduced as compared to the pressure of the insulating medium sealed within the unit under sea level conditions. Consequently, the relatively greater internal pressure of the confined gas subjects the unit to abnormal stresses resulting, in some cases, in breakage of the unit.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide novel apparatus for replacing humid ormoistureladen air within the space between the respective sheets of multiple sheet glazing units. t i

A further object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for introducing a dehydrated medium into the insulating space of multiple sheet glazing units which is particularly adapted for use with such glazing units Where their contours are not flat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of regulating the internal pressures to which multiple sheet glazing units are subjected during strength testing of the units.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. p

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an all-glass multiple sheet glazing unit with which this invention is concerned;

Fig. 2 is a side view of apparatus of the invention for introducing dehydrated air or gas into the enclosed space provided in multiple sheet glazing units;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2; t i i Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, taken substantially on the line 4-4 thereof;

2,875,794 Patented Mar. 3, 1959 ice Fig. 5 is an elevation of the sealing washer;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the sealing washer taken from the left of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows the apparatus for introducing dehydrated air or gas into the space provided in a multiple sheet glazing unit and for simutlaneously testing the unit for strength; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the flow indicator used with the invention.

With reference now to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 a multiple sheet glazing unit 15 which comprises sheets of glass 16 and 17 spaced. from one another as by a radially formed edge wall portion 18. Dehydration holes 19 are provided through at least one of the respective sheets, and as shown herein, are provided in the sheet 17. It is through these dehydration or breather holes that dehydrated air or gas is forced into the space 20 between the sheets to displace humid or moistureladen air that may be contained therein.

Prior to testing and replacing the moisture-laden air within the multiple sheet glazing units, the units are placed on a support rack 21 (Fig. 7) which comprises a bottom support arm 22 and back support legs 23. While in position on the rack 21, dehydrated air or gas is brought to the units by means of novel nozzles 24 shown in Fig. 2.

More particularly, each of the nozzles 24 comprises a cylindrical body 25 drilled and tapped as at 26 (Fig. 4) to receive set screws 27 and 28, the latter screw having a hole 29 drilled therethrough longitudinally and cornmunicating with a transverse slot 30 milled across the head or blind portion. A tube 31 is sweat or otherwise secured in the hole 29 and extends outwardly from the face 32 of the body and is bent downwardly. The purpose of this tube will be disclosed hereinafter. A boss 33 is brazed or otherwise fastened to the side of the body and a hole 34 is drilled through the boss and the body into the tapped hole 26 and in communication with the slot 30 and the tube 31.

The body 25 is brazed to one leg 35 of a toggle type compound leverage clamp 36. A thumb screw 37 passes through a tapped hole 38 in the other leg 39 of the clamp 36. A back up plate 40 is loosely riveted to-the end of the thumb screw 37 projecting inside the leg 39 to permit rotation and slight angular movement of the plate with respect to the axis of the thumb screw.

A pair of handles 41 form the upper portion of the clamp 36 and are pivotally connected to the legs at points 41, as shown inFig. 2. This construction provides a quick clamping and release arrangement with the motion of the handles 41 limited in both directions. This is of particular importance in this instance since the gap between the face 32 of the body 25 and the face of the back-up plate 40, in clamping position, remains constant after repeated clampings and releases. Variation in the gap distance may be made by rotating the thumb screw 37.

An annular gasket 42 is molded of a soft rubber or other resilient material in the shape shown in Figs. 5 and 6 having a Hat surface 43 on one side and an opposed flat surface 44 parallel to the surface 43 andextending upward from the bottom to a point past the horizontal center line where it blends into an outwardly directed radius 45which joins a third flat surface 46 lying in a plane parallel to the surfaces 43 and 44. Referring to Fig. 2, the gasket 42 is cemented to the body 25 with the faces 43 and 32 bonded by the cement 47 and with the thick portion 48 of the gasket at the top of the body 25. The tube 31 extends through the hole 49 in the gasket 42, one of the holes 19 in the sheet 17 and into the space 20. The flat surface 44 and the radial portion 45 of the gasket 42 are designed to follow the contour of the glazing unit adjacent the dehydration holes 19, specifically, the outer surface of sheet 17 as it blends into the radius of wall 18.

A second gasket 50 is cemented to the face of the back-up plate lil, and may be a duplicate of gasket 42 or a flat sheet gasket to act as a cushion between the plate and the glass sheet 16. Thus by virtue of the clamp 6 and the gasket 42, the nozzles 24 are held' in firm, air-tight engagement with the glazing unit in the area surrounding a dehydration hole 1 9. In other words, the gasket 421s compressed along the area around the de dra i n ho e 19 i h he hi r P I Q 48 at the tea t e i a the e ll 18 e a th hole. 1 ainst h intreslee et Qt ewesph rie ma ur d n ir We the Peee .0-

Be e e nt odu n d h dra d r r s n e gl ing unit 15 one or more of such units are placed in positign en th reek and a ozz 24 is n cted o e of the dehydration holes 19 therein as indicated by the number 51 in Fig. 7. The nozzle indicated at 51 is connected by a flexible tube 52 to a flow indicator 53 which in turn is connected through a valve 54 to a dehydrated air or gas supply pipe 55.

More particularly, as shown in Fig. 8 the flow indicator 53 is formed of plastic or glass and has a cylindical passageway 56 therethrough in which is carried an indicator ball 57, which is adapted to move upwardly in the passageway 56 when air or'gas is flowing. Thus, the ball 57 is adapted to indicate a minimum amount of flow when moved out of engagement with a lower pin 53.

In its inoperative position the ball 57 rests upon the lower pin 58, and when in operation it is restrained at the upper end of the passageway 56 by a pin 59.

To introduce dehydrated gas or air into a glazing unit, the valve 54 from the supply pipe 55 is opened causing dehydrated air to flow through the flexible tube 52, through the nozzle indicated at 51 which is attached to 34 and into the space between the respective sheets 16 and 17. This flow of dehydrated air causes the humid or moisture-laden air contained withinthe space 20 to be forced out through the second dehydration opening.

In order to test the unit for its strength properties while the moisture-laden air is being replaced there is provided a method of simulating altitude conditions by increasing the internal pressure of the dehydrated air within the space 20 with respect to the atmospheric pressure existing on the outside of the glazing unit.

More particularly, the method includes the restricting or setting up of a resistance to the flow of the exhausted air or gas from the second dehydration hole. To accomplish this, there is provided a variable pressure device 60 which is connected to the second dehydration hole by means of a second nozzle 61 similar to the nozzle indicated above. The nozzle 61 is connected by a flexible hose 62 to one end of a tube 63 which forms part of the variable pressure device 60, the tube 63 being adjustably mounted by an arm 64. The other end of the tube 63 is submerged in a liquid bath of water 65 or the like contained in a tank 66. Also shown in Fig. 7 are an extra leverage clamp 67 carried by support 68.

By regulating the height of the bath 65 with respect to the end of tube 63 the amount of back pressureset up within the tube and transmitted through the flexible hose to the second nozzle Hand to the space 20 between the sheets 16 and 17 of the glazing unit 15 can be regulated. Consequently, pressures are set up within the space 26 similar to those which are encountered when the unit is used at altitudes where the internal and external pres sures are unequal. Of course, when the internal pressure exceeds that set up by the column of water or other liquid 65, bubbles will release excess pressures and maintain the pressure within the space 20 of the glazing unit substantially constant. It will be evident that the column of liquid may be either increased or decreased to regulate the desired pressure within the space 20 or, the end tube 63 may be moved with respect to the column of liquid to regulate the pressure within the said space.

It is of course to be understood-that the form of the invention disclosed herein is to be taken as the preferred embodiment thereof,'and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating a multiple sheet glazing un t having a curved edge contour and an opening communicating with the space provided in said unit, comprising clamping means having at least a pair of legs and means, including a fluid inlet connected to a fluid medium source, carried by one of said legs, adapted so that upon said clamping means being placed in embracing relationship with the sides of said unit, with said fluid inlet on said clamping means in registry with the opening in said unit, said fluid medium is introduced into said unit from said fluid medium source.

2. Apparatus for treating a multiple sheet glazing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping means are shape d to fit to the curved edge contour of said unit.

3. Apparatus for treating multiple sheet glazing units as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping means are movable to accommodate changes in width of the unit.

4. Apparatus for treating a multiple sheet glazing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping means are adapted to assume an open position out of contact with said unit and a closed position in engagement with said unit, said clamping means includinglocking means for locking said clamping means in the closed position.

5. Apparatus for treating multiple sheet glazing units having a curved edge contour and an enclosed space therein and an opening communicating with said enclosed space, comprising a clamp including handle portions and leg portions, said handle and leg portions being connected for movement to open and closed positions, means, including a fluid inlet connected to a fluid medium source, carried by one of said legs adapted to register with said opening the unit when said clamping means clampingly engages the sides of the unit for introducing said fluid medium into the unit, means shaped to substantially the contour of said sheet adjacent said opening and maintained in position on the unit by a gripping action of said leg portions to seal the area around said opening from the introduction of atmospheric air into the space provided in the unit, and means to hold said shaped means in gripping contact with the contour of said sheet adjacent said opening.

6. Apparatus for treating a multiple sheet glazing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping nieansincludes, a body carried by one leg, a back plate carried by the other leg, and means mounted on said other leg for adjusting the position of said back plate relative to said body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,711,238 McFarland Apr. 30, 1 929 1,945,769 Brumley Feb. 6, 1934 2,030,869 Haven Feb. 18, 1936 2,062,747 Gelstharp I Dec. 1, 1 936 2,069,086 Donovan et al. Jan. 26, 1937 2,398,371 Gerspacher Apr. 16, 1946 2,707,390 Beretish May 3, 1955 

